Do you agree with the statement that America has no culture Free Essays

Nowadays the world is a really small place compared to what it used to be before. Twenty first century brought many changes for our society and it had been marked by the rise of a global economy, the rise of the consumerism, mistrust in government, deepening concern of over terrorism and an increase in the power of private enterprise. With the fall of the Soviet Union the USA became the sole superpower, and although it is suffering from many domestic and foreign problems, it still has a huge influence on the world‘s matters . We will write a custom essay sample on Do you agree with the statement that America has no culture? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The same thing is with the culture. The term Americanisation has been used since 1907 for the American impact on other countries. I will write about negative and positive aspects of America’s culture and how it affects our world and how it was formed. One of the main things which form society is a culture. If we are talking about the USA, it is primarily Western, but influenced by the Native American, African, Asian, Polynesian and Latin American cultures too. Despite certain consistent ideological principles (e.g. individualism, egalitarianism, and faith in freedom and democracy), American culture has a variety of expressions due to its geographical scale and demographic diversity. The United States has often been thought of as a melting pot, but now it trends towards cultural diversity, pluralism and the image of a salad bowl. Many American cultural elements, especially from popular culture, have spread across the globe through modern mass media .For example, Hollywood dominates most of the world’s media markets. It is the chief medium by which people across the globe see American fashions, customs, scenery and way of life. The same is with music industry. Many U.S.-based artists, such as Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson are recognized worldwide and have sold over 500 million albums each. Moreover, America‘s corporate business is selling the ideas of freedom, choice, competition for all the world. Cocacola is the most recognised brand in the world and it is a symbol of Americanization and it‘s culture. Furthermore, fast food companies are also often viewed as being a symbol of U.S. marketing dominance. Companies such as Starbucks, McDonald‘s, Burger King and KFC have numerous outlets around the world. Finally, the USA had a lot of really influential poets, such as M.Twain or E.Hemingway whose works continue to be popular to this day. However, all  these things poses quite a few problems if we really want to understand if such thing as „American cultureâ€Å" exists. First of all, the global presence of America‘s influence in business, politics and economy. Multinational food corporations are „killingâ€Å" small business by having less expenses and hiring workers for a lower salary. Speaking about politics, the USA in the last 20 years has participated in more wars or conflicts more than any other nation. Secondly ,the globalisation, which America brings to our homes ,imposes some laws or certain ideas on citizens which might be harmful in the long term for nation‘s economy or it’s standings of values, and customs, which can not be changed if we want to have society with moral standarts. Finally, most of the media and production created by the USA has a really low art value or lack a deeper meaning, because the reason they are created is profit. And if you want to have a profit, you have to sell your merchandise, you don’t need anything really mind provoking. To sum up, I believe that American culture exists ,and there are many great things which were made or created in the USA, such as music or modern technology ,which we use everyday, but we shouldn‘t forget that this country also invented things like weapons of mass destruction and started many wars, because the USA is „the world‘s policeâ€Å" and they have to make sure there is peace in the world. How to cite Do you agree with the statement that America has no culture?, Papers

H and M Enterprise Agreement System †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the H and M Enterprise Agreement. Answer: Introduction The current labour landscape in Australia is characterised by high wages that are n many cases not sustainable by the businesses which are supposed to support them. The labour market has for long been moderated by bargained agreements, which were put to the test by the BOOT, which ensured that they were better for the workers they were to apply to. In recent years, the focus on the BOOT has not always led to the positive results that it was meant to have. Besides increased attention to the compliance of awards as agreed, the sector is also rapidly changing. Additionally, enterprise bargaining has ground to a halt as uncertainty mounts over the issue of penalties. The effects of this situation are not localised on the hospitality and retail markets, or on a particular sector of the economy. Rather, the effects have been felt far beyond, as unemployment rates soar. In particular, the rates have affected youth who are just graduating from college, with up to 18% of them going for more than a year without fulltime employment. Many others are underutilised. One of the solutions to the problem, according to Watson (2017), is the cutting of salaries to a level that will enable the long term unemployed to secure gainful employment, without having to jeopardise the survival of the employers. At the same time, there is a need to ensure that the BOOT does not act as an impediment to the labour market, but rather, acts as a catalyst for improved labour relations and better employment prospects, especially for the youth. This report aims to provide a framework that the Fair Work Commission can use to institute changes to the BOOT. The president as the commissions former vice president implies, may be in need of a way that would make the labour market more adaptive to changes in the economy, and in particular to the rate of unemployment. The report will cover the BOOTs advantages and disadvantages, current issues, as well as other issues. At the same time, the report will look at the challenges which currently face it, with the objective of ensuring that the test is better suited to work in the current situation. The BOOT What and why The Better off overall test is an aspect of the Fair Work Act that was passed in 2009 to better safeguard the compensation rights of employees. Under the Act, the agreement must convince the FWA that the agreement will lead modern and prospective award covered employees better off if it applied, as compared to the relevant modern award applicable. In case this is not the case, the agreement must leave the class to which the employee belongs in a better condition than it would have been under the said relevant award. The FWA makes the test without any consideration to individual agreements agreed to between the employer and the employees. The precursor to the BOOT was the no disadvantage, which also provided that employees should not be left disadvantaged under the agreement. However, it did not give as strong safeguards to this as the BOOT does (McPhail, Jerrard Southcombe, 2015). The FWA may still approve deals that do not meet the BOOT criteria. However, this will only succeed if the deal does not run contrary to any other provision under the FWA. At the same time, the deal may be approved if it does not cause any financial injury to the employee covered (McPhail, Jerrard Southcombe, 2015) The BOOT was a mechanism adopted to better protect workers. The Australian legal system has historically been aimed at ensuring that the more vulnerable in society were taken care of. This involved initiative such as the no disadvantage and among the most recent, the BOOT. The BOOT guarantees the protection of workers in the enterprise bargaining setup, especially by ensuring that there are comprehensive equal pay provisions, and ensuring that all employees are able to enjoy at least the minimum pay standards. Employees who are most likely to be protected by the BOOT are low income earners who have minimal or no bargaining power with their employers. This means that the retail and hospitality industries workers are among the highest beneficiaries (Naughton Pitard, 2013) According to the Fair Work Act, the FW authority has the mandate to determine what constitutes modern award, which will then be considered for the test benchmarking. The modern award may indeed become confusing if there is more than one. In such instances, the authority will allow for flexibility, such that employers and employees can choose what best covers them. The agreement in question must be well understood by the affected employees, who must also be willing to adopt it. This is usually done by way of a vote, where the agreement is backed by the majority (McPhail, Jerrard Southcombe, 2015). Application of BOOT HM, one of the largest clothing designers in the country had come up with a national enterprise agreement which would allow lower weekend and public holiday rates for employees, in return for higher weekday rates. In addition, the agreement committed to a number of undertakings which would enable workers who were adversely affected by the deal to gain respite, and not be disadvantaged by the agreement. The agreement was however rejected. The FWC felt that the agreement left casual workers in many instances in worse off situation than they would be under the existing agreement that was signed in 2010 (Desir, 2017). The FWC came up with several reasons for rejecting the deal on the basis of the test. The company had not provided enough undertakings to show that casual employees especially those who consistently worked on Sundays for an extended amount of time would not be worse off under the new agreement. While HM had agreed to pay casual employees $0.65 per hour, it limited their hours of work to 65%. This meant that their earnings would be more limited than would have been the case under the existing agreement, which did not have such provisions. Additionally, the store had tried to reduce employees salaries by up to $5,000, in order to accommodate budget costs and expansion drives (Marin-Guzman, 2017). The retail giant, Coles, had reached an agreement with workers unions, which had aimed at increasing the hourly rate for employees during weekdays, but cut them during the weekends. The deal also provided for some added benefits, such as blood donor and emergency services leave. It also provided for an extra five minutes meal break for employees who worked for more than 4 hours shifts (Hanan, Coles Workers may Lose Pay Rise after Fair Work Veto, 2016). The agreement has been found by the Fair Work Commission to be deficient in terms of the criteria set by the BOOT test. The agreement had come up with higher rates for weekdays. However, it cut rates for weekended and nights. This meant that employees who were working at night and weekends consistently were likely to be disadvantaged, than would have been the case before (Clarke, Taylor Oakes, 2016). While the company and union suggested this only affected a small number of people, the BOOT requires all employees to be left better off with the deal, which was clearly not the case. Additionally, the decision to give the other benefits as some sort of compensation was found to be insufficient, since the said benefits were overvalued. The companys decision is said to likely impact other retail chains in the country adversely, as retail chains try to expand while making their wage bill more sustainable for this (Hanan, Fair Work Ruling Could hurt Coles Staff, 2016). Strengths and weaknesses of the BOOT Test The Better off Overall test has been instrumental in safeguarding the interests of employees. It has gone further than the no disadvantage agreement, in ensuring that an enterprise bargain has to ensure that all employees are better off that they are under the relevant award. The BOOT also makes it possible for companies and workers to agree on non monetary awards which ultimately leave the employees in a position better off than the current arrangement would be able to (FWC, 2017). On the other hand, the test has complicated the enterprise bargain system, making it increasingly difficult for organizations to reach agreements with their employees on sustainable agreements. For instance, the agreement between HM and the workers union had been backed even by the employees and for a while, by the FWC. However, the need to ensure everyone was better off as a result of the agreement meant that it could not apply. As Watson (2017) notes in his article, it is increasingly necessary to consider wage cuts, with the understanding that it is not unethical, and that it could ultimately mean more jobs. The BOOT system however prevents this. Improving the BOOT The BOOT can be improved by redefining the process. The best approach would be to consider that the best deal may not always involve improving the monetary improvement of the offer, as well as corresponding benefits that may constitute better overall. Rather, the approach may consider the wider industry needs, which include economic sustainability, job creation and equity. As the number of young unemployed graduates rises, the retail and hospitality industries, which traditionally have helped absorb them before they chart more definite career paths. They are currently unable to do this, since they cannot afford the associated wages and benefits as prescribed under BOOT, which even anticipates the potential employees in its tests. This should be reviewed and if necessary, scrapped (Watson, 2017). Conclusion As the decisions regarding Coles and HM, as well as the industry analysis by Watson show, the labour market is in a crisis. This crisis is however not a result of under or oversupply of labour or skills. Instead, it is the result of unsustainable wage regulations which continue to drive up the wage bills for companies. While the BOOT background is positive, since it ensures that the lowest paid are catered for, it has simultaneously made it harder for other workers to access the job market. Analysis of the industry suggests that since the test was implemented in 2010, the rate of unemployment has drastically gone up among the youth, a factor that threatens to harm the community, rather than help it. The implementation of the BOOT regulation has been improved the fortunes of existing workers, but has dimmed the hopes of prospective ones, who have to look further and longer to secure jobs. Recommendations The president should consider some improvements to make the system more receptive to the current atmosphere. The measures should consider the special status of the retail and hospitality industries as first job industries. In light of the soaring unemployment and the attendant social issues, the president should consider changes to the test that will leave not just employees, but also the whole community better off. This will include incentives that enable businesses to hire new employees, by scrapping the provision which also covers potential employees. The will of employees affected in deals should be considered too. The BOOT in the case of Coles did not consider the will of the employees, expressed though the union. References Watson, G, 2017, The entire Fair Work Act awards system is failing the 'better off overall' test, available at URL: https://www.afr.com/opinion/the-entire-fair-work-act-awards-system-is-failing-the-better-off-overall-test-20170327-gv7580 [Accessed 9 May 2017]. Angwin, M 2017, EBAs are now just a blockage to productivity, Australian Financial Review, 14 February, p. 39. Desir, B 2017, HM enterprise agreement fails BOOT, National Retail Association, 29 January. Available at URL: https://www.nra.net.au/hm-enterprise-agreement-fails-boot/ [Accessed 2 March 2017]. Hannan, E 2016, Fair Work ruling could hurt Coles staff, Australian Financial Review, 1 June, p. 3. Hannan, E 2016, Coles workers may lose pay rise after Fair Work veto, Australian Financial Review, 10 June, p. 7. Naughton, R., Pittard, M. 2013. The Voices of the Low Paid and Workers Reliant On Minimum Employment Standards. Adelaide Law Review, 34(1), 120 139. Marin-Guzman, D 2017, Fair Work takes swipe at H M over failing to disclose pay cuts, Australian Financial Review, 18 January, p. 3. McPhail, R, Jerrard, MSouthcombe, A 2015, Employment relations: an integrated approach, Cengage Learning Australia, South Melbourne. Clark, S, Taylor, J Oakes, D 2016, Coles could be forced to renegotiate pay deal with thousands of workers after Fair Work ruling, ABC News, 31 May. Available at URL: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-31/part-time-coles-worker-wins-fair-case-against-supermarket-giant/7463132 [Accessed 28 February 2017].

Women in Prison Issues and Challenges Faced by Female Inmates

Introduction The correctional facilities offered by the Criminal Justice System are of immense importance for the effective running of the society. This is because it is through these avenues that those members or the society who do not abide by the laws and codes of conduct established can be punished and effectively rehabilitated.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Women in Prison: Issues and Challenges Faced by Female Inmates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even so, the United States has a phenomenal number of inmates serving in her state correctional facilities. While men traditionally make up the bulk of the inmates in US correctional facilities, women are the fastest growing group of incarcerated persons in US (Hutchinson 440). Women therefore make up a significant percentage of incarcerated persons and their unique needs and realities are they serve their terms has gained more prominence. This paper shall set out to give an informative analysis on the issue of women in prison. The paper shall especially concentrate on the issues that are peculiar to women; abortion, Psychological functioning during Pregnancy and child birth. The paper shall also look at the alarming of rates of suicides of women in prison and how women can best be reintegrated back to society after serving their sentences. Issues Affecting Women in Prison Incarcerated Women and Abortion One of the rights that women have championed and gained in the 21st century is the right to access abortion services. While this are services that free women have access to fairly easily, the same cannot be said for women prisoners. This is a big issue considering the fact that 6-10% of women in custody at any particular time are pregnant (Sufrin, Creinin and Chang 6). While abortion is deemed a â€Å"reasonable, appropriate and constitutional measure† and it is the right of a woman to request for one regardless of her b eing incarcerated, research by the renowned political scientist Rachel Roth indicated that correctional facilities’ abortion policies are inconsistent and lack any form of standardization (Sufrin, Creinin and Chang 7). As a result of this, incarcerated women are faced with various barriers in their quest to obtain pregnancy termination. Research conducted by Sufrin, Creinin and Chang on the provision of abortion services for incarcerated women revealed that while majority of health care providers for incarcerated women asserted that abortion services were provided for prisoners, there was lack of well established procedures for arranging for such procedures (9). The lack of a written policy on prisoners who request abortion means that prisoners are at the mercy of prison officers who may deny their abortion requests at will. Women who request for elective abortions can therefore be denied by facilities which make distinctions between â€Å"medically necessary† and â₠¬Å"elective abortions†.Advertising Looking for research paper on criminal law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Abortion services for incarcerated women are also greatly dependent on the political trends of the particular state. Research indicated that states dominated by Republican legislatures were less likely to help imprisoned women obtain abortion as compared to states dominated by Democratic legislatures (Sufrin, Creinin and Chang 10). This political influence on correctional health system is detrimental to prisoner’s who seek elective abortions. Denying women the right to an abortion is tantamount to violating the Eight Amendment which guarantees all prisoners the right to health care. Women’s right to choose for an abortion is guaranteed by the law regardless of incarceration. Even so, the Abortion policies employed by some prisons greatly limit the prisoners’ access to health care. Sufrin, Cr einin and Chang propose that correctional health system should strive to come up with written policies on abortion that clearly articulate the pregnancy termination provisions available to the prisoners (10). This can help achieve quality service for the incarcerated women with positive outcomes. Psychological functioning during Pregnancy As a matter of fact, the pregnancy phase is an especially challenging period in a woman’s life as she undergoes various physical and psychological changes. Considering the fact that an estimated 6-10% of women are pregnant as of the time when they are getting into prison, a significant number of women prisoners experience the various challenges that are inherent in pregnancy. A common condition experienced by the pregnant women is depression and anxiety. Research indicates that incarcerated mothers face more stressors than other inmates as a result of visitation concerns and separation from their families. Pregnant inmates in particular stan d the risk of elevated levels of anxiety and depression. This anxiety and depression experienced by the mother can have negative effects for infant development by increasing the infant’s susceptibility to psychopathology. A reality that pregnant women in prison face is the impeding separation from their newborns. Women who deliver while in prison spend about 1 or 2 days with their newborns after which the babies are taken away from them (Hutchinson et al. 441). Hutchinson et al. reveal that this separation and loss is â€Å"likely to be emotionally demanding and may even be a traumatic experience for many women† (441). This initial trauma may make it impossible for the mother to reconnect with their baby when they are reunited. This assertion is corroborated by a study by Sajaniemi et al. which revealed that the disruption in the initial bonding process of child and mother as a result of separation significantly affects the development of secure attachments. In additio n to this, the stress that comes from this separation may result in violent outbursts that result in the disciplinary action being taken against the incarcerated new mother.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Women in Prison: Issues and Challenges Faced by Female Inmates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Pregnant incarcerated women are more predisposed to hostilities and angry outbursts as a result of their condition. While studies reveal that all pregnant women are likely to exhibit anger and hostility as a result of the hormonal changes they are undergoing, the hostile and angry reactions are higher in pregnant incarcerate women(Hutchinson et al. 441). This combined with situations such as lack of enough food for the mother and baby only serve to escalate tempers. This condition places the incarcerated women at great risk of interpersonal violence and infractions in prison. Such behaviors not only endange r the unborn child but they lead in disciplinary action being taken against the pregnant prisoner. In times of pregnancy and childbirth, social support is highlighted as one of the most important care practices. While incarcerated pregnant women are surrounded by their peers in prison, research indicates that majority of them do not use their prison peers as a source of social support (Hutchinson et al. 447). Instead, the women mostly rely on their own mothers and/or the baby’s fathers. However, incarcerated women encounter significant barriers in their attempt to receive the much needed support. Incarceration results in limited visitation and access to telephones. Considering the fact that regular visits with children and maintenance of regular family relationships during incarceration significantly reduces the likelihood of the inmate reverting to crime after release, Hutchinson et al propose that correctional facilities should promote visitations (450). The women may also be imprisoned at facilities that are considerable distances from their homes therefore limiting the number of visits that their families’ can afford. In addition, many prisons do not allow family and friends during labor and delivery. This causes significant psychological distress to the pregnant women. After having their babies’, women are required to make plans for placement of the infant’s for the interim period between birth and the mother’s release from the correctional facility.Advertising Looking for research paper on criminal law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hutchinson et al revealed that women who could not find a good potential caregiver expressed significant distress since the infant would have to be taken into the custody of the Department of Social Services and likely placed into foster care (447). Even the women who find potential caregivers problems related to the interim caregiver to whom they relinquish the care of their infants. The women experience a wide range of emotions ranging from jealousy, concern for child’s well being to appreciation for the care provided to the child on their behalf. Hutchinson et al reveals that most of the interim caregivers are the inmates own mother and these results to concern if the mother has a history of neglectful or abusive parenting (442). This results in the incarcerated mother having high levels of stress due to concern for their children. Prisoners giving Birth Approximately 1400 women give birth while under incarceration every year. This places them in a precarious position sinc e giving birth even in the best of circumstances is an involving process. Incarcerated pregnant women face unique issues in addition to the issues that are common to mothers in general. The unique issues mostly revolve around discomforts exacerbated by pregnancies and the stress brought about by the impending birth. Hutchinson proposes that correctional institutes establish specific interventions geared towards addressing the unique needs of pregnant inmates (450). A particularly novel support tool for women giving birth is the Birth Companions which was formed in 1996 with the primary aim of offering support for prisoners giving birth (Marshall 225). Birth Companions in essence provides experienced birth partners who offer support to women who are about to give birth. The Birth Companions visit the prison and offer birth plans for pregnant women as well as provide the much needed support during labor. This assists reduce the anxiety that women in prison are predisposed to and assis ts the women focus on their babies’. Support during pregnancy results in positive experience by the pregnant inmates and research indicates that the support of an experienced birth companion significantly improves the outcomes for mother and baby. Marshall documents that in a study involving over 1300 pregnant women, it was fount that â€Å"women who received continuous labor support were more likely to give birth virginally, needed less interventions, and had higher satisfaction rates and slightly shorter labors (225). Bearing in mind these positive results, it would be beneficial to have birth support services provided for every pregnant woman, incarcerated or not. Suicides of women in Prison Recent reports have called to attention the escalating rates of suicide among incarcerated women. Thomas documents that the suicide rate among female prisoners is a phenomenal 20times more common than among females in the general population. In any context, these are very troubling re velations and they point to a profound problems experienced by women in the correctional system. The first major problem that females encounter is despair. While many female prisoners experience despair as a result of their incarceration, the prison environment is not conducive to an open express of this despair (Liebling 384). This is because of over-medicalization of the problem of suicide which results in hospitalization in cases of suspected suicide risk. Hospitalization results in segregation of the prisoner therefore leading to an escalation of the situation as a result of loneliness. As such, women who are at risk of suicide opt to keep their despair hidden instead of seeking help. Research indicates that younger women are especially at risk of attempting suicide than any other group due. The reasons for this include the fact that young inmates are susceptible to threats and attacks from others and generally have less resources and skills to avert such behaviors. This bullyin g and victimization in young offenders results in higher likelihood of committing situation specific suicides by the young female prisoners. Research by Liebling noted that prisoners who had committed suicide were more likely to have spent sometime in seclusion or protective custody while in the correctional facility (392). As such, being bullied and victimized by the other inmates is a common precursor to the prisoner attempting suicide. Most of the women who commit in suicide have pre-existing issues with depression and these conditions are escalated as a result of the prison conditions. One study revealed that those who committed or attempted suicide were currently seeing the visiting psychiatrist or had a history of mental health issues before incarceration (Liebling 393). From these findings, it is clear that there is a link between the mental health of the prisoner and suicide rates. Liebling asserts that the significance of drug abuse in suicide prison remains as potent as ev ery and particularly among the suicides that occur during the early periods of custody (384). Research indicates that a significant number of female prisoners are incarcerated as a result of drug related offenses. Thomas articulates that more women are entering prison because of drug-related crimes and many of them are addict (353). While in prison, they lack access to their drugs of choice and hence experience withdrawals without the support facilities that they would have on the outside. Social justice and women leaving prison One of the core goals of correctional facilities is to rehabilitate people for successful reintegration into the society. Fortune et al. state that while the goal of women’s correction is for women to leave correctional institutes stronger than when they went in, the stigma associated with incarceration results in women returning to the communities feeling even more powerless (19). Being accepted back into the community or being rejected from it after release from prison has a major implication on a woman’s ability to reintegrate. Re-entry into community is mostly hampered by the stigma which results in offenders being perceived as bad. Stigma may result in the ex-convict isolating themselves from the community. This social isolation greatly reduces the opportunities for women to establish supportive relationships that are a prerequisite to post-prison empowerment. Social justice and shared responsibility are two of the principles which if effectively employed can assist in the effective reintegration of ex-convicted women into the society. The principle of shared responsibility sees the entire society as being responsible for the creation and implementation of services for the incarcerated women (Fortune et al. 24). Dispelling the myths and negative perceptions about which are propagated by the media about incarcerated women, the negative connotation associated with ex-convicted women can be dispelled. By use of programs such as â€Å"Stride Night† which provide a platform for interaction between incarcerated women and community volunteers, a better understanding is borne and the volunteers can help dispel the stigma associated with incarcerated women (Fortune et al. 25). Brown and Stuart confirm that mentoring has become a popular and effective tool for reintegrating and resettling ex-prisoners. Mentoring offers the woman prisoner a nonjudgmental ear and a person who is not connected with the former criminal world that the ex-prisoner may have been involved in. The first days following release, women are especially prone to falling back to old detrimental habits such as substance abuse, criminal activities and abusive relationships (Fortune et al. 23). By having a mentor, the former prisoner stands a better chance of leading a changed life. Brown and Stuart reveal that the value of mentors to the ex-convict mentee is greet since mentors could act as character references for employment and h ousing for the ex-prisoners and even attend court for child custody hearings (42). This social capital that the mentors can provide to the female ex-convict is of great importance since most women live in isolation after being released from prison either in an attempt to make a clean start from their turbulent past or due to issues of personal safety. Discussion and Conclusion Correctional facilities are a necessary aspect for the administrative component of a country to function efficiently. From this paper, it is clear that there are a number of major issues that women prisoners face during incarceration. These issues have a negative impact on the women and decrease the likelihood of them. Marshall reports that the health issues of women have been overlooked by the correctional system which was designed primarily for men (227). This is especially true when dealing with pregnancy of inmates. As it currently stands, handling of pregnant women in prison varies from prison to prison. For example, while shackling of pregnant incarcerated women is generally condemned, only six states have laws expressly condemning the practice (National NOW Times). As such, prisons in the states which do not have explicit laws against this practice can engage in this practice without fear of legal redress. There have been calls for the establishment of a set standard for how pregnant women should be treated during pregnancy and birth in all prisons. As has been noted, conditions such as overcrowding, a lack of access to medical care and increased assault against the prisoner exacerbate problems that result in suicide risks among the inmates. The prison administration can therefore alleviate suicide rates by improving the living conditions of the inmates. In addition to this, protection of younger prisoners from victimization and bullying can reduce the amount of distress they experience therefore reducing their risk of committing suicide. The ultimate goal of correctional faciliti es is to mold convicts for future reintegration into the society. Through social justice and mentoring programs, ex-convicts can be successful reintegrated into society and allowed to make a meaningful living and consequently play a part in the noble task of building the nation. By accepting the ex-prisoner women into the community, the society will demonstrate its faith in the rehabilitative property of the prison systems and absolve the ex-felon since they have already repaid their debt to society by serving time. While the role played by the criminal justice system is imperative for the well being of the society, the human rights of the prisoner must be respected and conditions made as humane as possible. As it currently stands, incarcerated women’s access to abortion services is not guaranteed and support during pregnancy is inadequate. Women are also susceptible to suicide and psychological trauma in pregnancy. Correctional service institutes must strive to address these problems so as to make women’s stay at prisons less traumatic. Works Cited Brown, Mark, and Stuart Ross. â€Å"Mentoring, Social Capital and Desistance: A Study of Women Released from Prison.† Australian New Zealand Journal of Criminology 43.1 (2010): 31-50. Felice Yuen, et al. â€Å"Social justice and women leaving prison: beyond punishment and exclusion.† Contemporary Justice Review 13.1 (2010): 19-33. Liebling, ALison. â€Å"Suicides in young prisoners†. Death Studies, Sep/Oct93, Vol. 17 Issue 5, p381, 29p Mariaskin, Amy et al. â€Å"incarcerated women’s psychological functioning during pregnancy.† Psychology of Women Quarterly 32.4 (2008): 440-453. Marshall, Denise. â€Å"Birth Companions: working with women in prison giving birth.† British Journal of Midwifery 18.4 (2010): 225-228. National NOW Times. â€Å"Anti-Abortion Terrorism Threatens Lives, Women’s Rights.† National NOW Times 42.1 (2010): 2. Sufrin, Carolyn , B., Mitchell D. Creinin, and Judy C. Chang. â€Å"Incarcerated Women and Abortion Provision: A Survey of Correctional Health Providers.† Perspectives on Sexual Reproductive Health 41.1 (2009): 6-11. Thomas, Sandra P. â€Å"Suicides of Women in Prison.† Issues in Mental Health Nursing June 2009: 353. 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Free Essays on Assyrians a Brief Description

The Assyrians are the indigenous people of Mesopotamia and have a history spanning over 6700 years. Today, the Assyrians are the descendants of the ancient Assyrian Empire and one of the earliest civilizations emerging in Mesopotamia. Although the Assyrian empire ended in 612 B.C., history is replete with recorded details of the continuous persistence of the Assyrian people till the present time. Assyrian civilization at one time incorporated the entire Near East, most notably the area of the Fertile Crescent. The heartland of Assyria lies in present day Northern Iraq. The remains of the ancient capital of Assyria, Nineveh, lie next to Mosul in Northern Iraq. The world’s 4.5 million Assyrians are currently dispersed with members of the Diaspora comprising nearly one-third of the population. Most of the Assyrians in the Diaspora live in North America, Europe, and Australia. The remaining Assyrians reside primarily in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, and Turkey. The Assyrians are not to be confused with Syrians. Although the name of Syria is directly derived from Assyria and the land was once a part of Assyria the people of Syria currently maintain a separate Arab identity. The Assyrians are not Arabs, but rather have maintained a continuous and separate identity, language, and culture that predates the Arabization of the Near East. Until today, the Assyrians speak a distinct language, Syriac, the language spoken by Jesus Christ. As a Semitic language, the Assyrian language is related to Hebrew and Arabic but predates both. The Assyrians were the first to accept Christianity in the first century A.D. Despite the subsequent Islamic conquest of the region, the Assyrian Church flourished and its adherents at one time numbered 80,000,000. Assyrian missionary zeal was unmatched and led to the first Christian missions to China and Japan. Today, the Assyrians belong to three major Christian sects: the Church of the East, the Chaldean Churc... Free Essays on Assyrians a Brief Description Free Essays on Assyrians a Brief Description The Assyrians are the indigenous people of Mesopotamia and have a history spanning over 6700 years. Today, the Assyrians are the descendants of the ancient Assyrian Empire and one of the earliest civilizations emerging in Mesopotamia. Although the Assyrian empire ended in 612 B.C., history is replete with recorded details of the continuous persistence of the Assyrian people till the present time. Assyrian civilization at one time incorporated the entire Near East, most notably the area of the Fertile Crescent. The heartland of Assyria lies in present day Northern Iraq. The remains of the ancient capital of Assyria, Nineveh, lie next to Mosul in Northern Iraq. The world’s 4.5 million Assyrians are currently dispersed with members of the Diaspora comprising nearly one-third of the population. Most of the Assyrians in the Diaspora live in North America, Europe, and Australia. The remaining Assyrians reside primarily in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, and Turkey. The Assyrians are not to be confused with Syrians. Although the name of Syria is directly derived from Assyria and the land was once a part of Assyria the people of Syria currently maintain a separate Arab identity. The Assyrians are not Arabs, but rather have maintained a continuous and separate identity, language, and culture that predates the Arabization of the Near East. Until today, the Assyrians speak a distinct language, Syriac, the language spoken by Jesus Christ. As a Semitic language, the Assyrian language is related to Hebrew and Arabic but predates both. The Assyrians were the first to accept Christianity in the first century A.D. Despite the subsequent Islamic conquest of the region, the Assyrian Church flourished and its adherents at one time numbered 80,000,000. Assyrian missionary zeal was unmatched and led to the first Christian missions to China and Japan. Today, the Assyrians belong to three major Christian sects: the Church of the East, the Chaldean Churc...

A Tragic Heroine

Tragic Heroine that Triumph Margaret Edison’s play Wit is about Vivian Bearing, a professor of seventeenth century poetry, specializing in John Donne. She is a strong willed intellectual being treated for ovarian cancer. Vivian lives a very secluded life and avoids human emotional contact. Just like any tragic hero, Vivian has flaws that prevent her from human kindness, which leads to her downfall. Her treatment of cancer causes her to realize that she needs emotional connection, which she has missed her whole life. Although her flaws are her intellect and wit that cause her an inability to connect emotionally with people around her, she becomes noble because she begins to express her emotions and accept kindness. Vivian Bearing has lived an intellectual rather than emotional life. As a child, education was very important to her family. On her fifth birthday which she recalls as her best birthday she read a book (Edson 41). She would rather read a book than have a party, cake or even having friends over. Reading a book during her birthday is very ironic because she claims this to be her best birthday which is really unique, because this is horrible as any standard for a fifth birthday. Most five year olds want a party and cake. Vivian takes the book and she reads its spine intently. Reading a book attentively on her birthday proves Vivian’s obsession with learning and expanding her horizons. She is only interested in learning, not worried about connecting with people her own age or even her family. While she is reading her book, her father sits on his chair â€Å"disinterested but tolerant† (Edson 41). Since her father does not pay any attention to her, Vivian is emotionally detached from her father. She only knows education and learning. She never mentions receiving any affection as a child. This is the only time she mentions her childhood. One can only assume that because of this the character’s own remote personality reflects that of her father’s. It is very likely that she never received the gentle touch of affection from her dad, the way she probably would have from her mother, if the mother had been in the picture. We know that her mother died at the age of forty, but other than that, nothing else is either mentioned or displayed regarding her. Vivian’s intellect and crave for knowledge continues to prevent her from human emotional connections. We meet Vivian as a student in a flashback. Her scholarship was her consuming and unrelenting passion, blinding her to other concerns of life like making friends. Despite being advised by her professor to enjoy life, she resorts to withdrawing into the library instead of going out (Edson 15). Her toughness and strictness towards her education blinds her treatment of humanity. She remains lonely and uses her education to cover her need for showing and needing emotional attachment. She does not enjoy her college life like most students do. Her intellect refuses her to show a need of emotional connection with students her own age. Her emotional detachment is apparent when she is told that she has ovarian cancer. Instead of crying and being afraid of death, she begins to analyze and think. â€Å"Must read something about cancer. Must get some books, articles. Assemble a bibliography,† she explains (Edson 8). The character’s excessive need for knowledge, which can be perceived as her tragic flaw, causes her to be oblivious to the reality of her diagnosis. Vivian is consumed with learning that she is unable to grasp with the reality that she has a disease that is slowly killing her. Her need for knowledge can be seen as a flaw because this prevents her from becoming psychologically attached to anything or anyone. Vivian thrives on knowledge and her ability to learn and understand things and uses her intellect to avoid human contact. The character’s addiction to intellect has shut down her need for any human emotions. Vivian’s wit appears as rude and uncaring when she uses her wit to push people away. Vivian’s smart remarks to everything cause people around her and also people that meet her to be unable to create a relationship with Vivian. When Vivian is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Dr. Kelekian uses the word â€Å"insidious† and defines it as â€Å"undetectable† (Edson 8). Vivian is unable to control her witty comments and could not resist the urge and decides to tell him the correct definition saying â€Å"treacherous†. Dr. Kelekian has a negative attitude towards her because of these corrections. Instead of treating her cancer, he decides to use her as research. Dr. Kelekian is unable to feel any compassion for her because she is rude. Vivian’s wittiness also appears as being uncaring. She is not liked very much by others, due to her unkindness. Previously, when a student asked for an extension on his paper, Professor Bearing rejects his request with a heartless comment. â€Å"Don’t tell me, your grandmother died† (Edson 63). Then she goes on to say, â€Å"Do what you will, but the paper is due when it is due† (Edson 63). Instead of showing some sentiment for the student, she is inconsiderate and cold-hearted towards him. She is so evil towards the student that no other student is able to feel comfortable around her and even speak to her as a person. She terrorizes her students inconsiderately and dispassionately. Vivian Bearing uses her wittiness to push people away so she does create an emotional attachment. Being put in hospital causes Vivian to reflect on her life and to realize how much she needs kindness. She even admits to craving kindness. She wants Susie to come see her to the point where she creates an emergency (Edson 64). She begins as an intellect, witty professor who is lonely, but now she is thirsty for a drop of kindness. Vivian’s hunger for kindness becomes apparent when she allows her nurse to call her sweetheart† (Edson 64) or honey(Edson 65). These are words Vivian has never been referred to in her life and she is comfortable with them. She realizes that it is acceptable to allow people to treat her like a person and be kind to her. Vivian starts to open up and shows her emotions without any problem or hesitation. At the end of the play when Vivian is lying in her deathbed, alone, shivering scared, and in pain, E. M. comes to her side. When her college professor Ashford comes to visit her, she asks Vivian if she wanted her to recite Donne, she replies â€Å"nooooo† (Edson 79). Vivian is finally realizing that her need for intellect and wit is not what she needs because she has received kindness. The emotional part of life is what she needs and not the complicated poems by Donne. As her time draws to a close, a sea change begins to work in the way Vivian thinks about life. As mentioned in the above paragraphs, Vivian has devoted her life to education and it is only through suffering that she learns that being extremely smart is not enough. It takes our heroine fifty years, and an insidious cancer to realize that it does not matter in the end how much you know since knowledge cannot possibly comfort you in death. Vivian says this line in the play â€Å"And death shall be no more, death thou shalt die (Edson 72-73). By these words she learns that death is nothing but a breath, a comma that separates life from life everlasting, Vivian’s last breath was nothing but a comma† and she has now moved on where she will live not by her knowledge, but by her heart. Though her body has died, her soul is awakened. Before Vivian’s final moments of life, she receives the attention and affection that she never had. She dies with a sense of peacefulness. Vivian Bearing is a very intellectual and witty individual who is dedicated to her love for know ledge. But because she is consumed by her incredible love for knowledge she lives a secluded life. Her downfall is that she is incapable of showing any emotions to another person. The play did not leave the audience with a sense of sadness or remorse, but with hope and respect for Vivian Bearing. She lived the final eight months of her life in extreme pain so doctors could gain more knowledge for future cancer patients. In the process, she learns that life is about humanity. This is what brings the audience to believe that this individual is a tragic hero who triumph and leaves one not with a sense of pity but one of empathy for her suffering.

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Religion - Essay Example â€Å"All civilizations were founded with religious underpinnings. Of course, religions, like civilizations, grow and sometimes die; forming an intellectual and ontological compost from which new civilizations often sprout. Often, these new civilizations are more complex and take root in earlier ideas while expanding them to meet new conditions† says awaretek.com Every individual is bound by his society and customs, each society has its own religion, rituals are conducted according to their religious instructions, and as far as the myth related to related to religion is concerned, we could trace out the starting point of our belief to have a basic influence by the myths. For example, we have been told by our ancestors the story of Jesus Christ and his birth, we believe that the star that shines during the month of December indicates the birth of Christ, and similarly when we consider other religious beliefs such as Hindu or Muslims, they too have their own rituals having a background story form the myth. could understand that majority of people accept a moral standard on the basis of their brought up and values that were taught to them by their elders. So religion is said to have a constructed meaning, ethics, rituals and myths, all are found in a society in a combined form, the influence of each could be felt in every aspect of the society. The argument that If we start analyse what the universe mean to us, we should take into account the contribution of man. It is an accepted and universal statement that God created every thing. Man is the most intelligent of all his creations as he possesses the additional sense of reasoning and speaking. He is still in the process of finding out the meaning behind every aspect of God’s creation. Though some might argue this as scientific, the fact that science is an expression of God’s creation needed to be accepted. Man can only analyse the reason for any natural calamity but he could not

Global warming - new business challenges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global warming - new business challenges - Essay Example These losses are elevated in pollution and other devastating factors depleting the richness of these natural resources. Over exploiting will result in the extinct of these resources and loss of many diversified species. A flood, deludge whether is something which runs any business entitew into huge losses. heat wave like the one that gripped Britain in 1995 led to losses of 1.5 billion pounds1(Swiss Re, Business week) A business entity which ignores the basic external factors will lead to failure. Environment consiousness should be considered along with the development Global warming does reflect its adverse effects at places even far from places of pollution origin. Thus it reveals that the global warming issue is a concern for entire world but not for particular region. Business entities has to look into diversified and complex situations where in it will necessary to look in to issues like1 the demographic, economic conditions and the atmospheric conditions. The main challenges put in front of any organization would be the investment into non-revenue generating entities, high initial investments, the business planning complexities, extra employees benefits, safety and security systems. Non revenue generating entities are the features added in a production or manufacturing unit to make the ambience more secure like the alarm and security systems, the greenery maintaining. High initial investments are required to install these specialized devices in an work environment and complex to maintain as th equipments and devices are specially configured. The employee benefits are necessary to put into to safe the employee interests and to avoid turnover frequently. The employee benefits include high insurance payments, compensation, rehabilitation, pensions and medical allowances etc. Chapter-04: Case example-China coal industry The devices like the solar energy systems are costly as the market for the devices is limited and the technicians are to be maintained separately for operating these devices. China a rapidly developing Asian country has enhanced its energy utility base to nearly three times. The usage of home appliances has pressurized the domestic power consumption. The main raw material for power generation is coal extracted from earth crust. Depending upon the quality of th2e coal extracted the efficiency of energy produced would alter. The coal as a raw material has extremely polluted which spreads far to the neighboring countries. The increase in global-warming gases from China's coal use will probably exceed that for all industrialized countries combined over the next 25 years, surpassing by five times the reduction in such emissions that the Kyoto Protocol seeksNew York times2. The carbon dioxide emanating from Chinese coal plants will last for decades, with a cumulative warming effect that w ill eventually overwhelm the cooling from sulfur and deliver another large kick to global warming. China being a the worlds most populous country needs huge energy resources, however the huge expanse of china has provided with some gifted reources which were squised to the extreems by the business entities. The utilization of coal has risen to an alarming concern effecting china and its neighboring count